Thinking of buying a 2nd hand M601 can anyone tell me how good an enlarger this is? Plus and minus points for colour and B/W. Seems to come with the interchangeable bits to go between both. Is £225 a reasonable price?

-- Richie Patterson (richie@wildcountry.co.uk), April 14, 2003

Answers

I never used this model. I did work with other Durst enlargers (M707, L1200, M670) and they're all very user-friendly and sturdy. I hear it's a good enlarger though.

- Advantage color: you can print both color and B/W (multicontrast). - Advantage B/W (condenser): some people say they prefer these prints. They're a bit "rougher" I would say. This is a matter of personal preference though, so either disregard, or find more opinions on this.

225 ponds (= around 320 euros?) seems a lot of money though. I would think that if you spend a little more time searching you can find a complete M601 for less than half that price (just over 100 pounds). Anyway, that's what people ask for them in these parts (Netherlands)...

Just remember that everyone and his aunt is selling an enlarger these days and nobody's buying.

tip: try to find a complete set (for various formats) if possible. It can be a pain to find accessories if you find out you need em later on.

-- Viktor Rodenburg (viktorrr@hotmail.com), September 17, 2003.